Locking device for gates



J. JACKLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR GATES Dec. 7,1948.

Filed Sept. 2 46 Patented Dec. 7, 1948 is! in 2,455,772ml p i cmNGpEvIon Fo t, ii'rns John Jackie, Gratiot Townshlpuwayne County, Michn i i 1 Application September 21,194e,"senamolfsesisict 3r' Glaims. (cocoa-ass This invention relates to improvements in.l0cking devices for gates. At the present time one conventional type of gate fastening consists of a latch mounted on a fixed post and recessed on its outer face centrally of its width to receive a resilient arm projecting upwardly and outwardly from the adjacent side of the gate; and extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the resilient arm are parallel ears which slide on opposite sides of the gate when the said arm is moved toward the latter to release it from the latch. While this fastening device is entirely satisfactory for the purpose intended it is one which quite small children quickly learn to open, so that if they are left unguarded in a garden provided with such a gate they frequently open it and wanderaway.

It is an object of this invention to provide a locking device for gates including means for rendering a resilient arm of the type above mentioned immovable so that it remains in engagement with the latch. In this way manipulation of the locking device and the arm becomes too complicated for quite small children to master.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device for gates with positive means for preventing unauthorized release of the device from the resilient arm.

A further object or the invention is to provide a locking device for gates which is readilly slidable on the gate so that it may be quickly and easily moved either to engage or release the resilient arm, though the height to which it must be raised to remain so placed is too high for a small child to reach, and consequently the locking device may of its own weight slide back into arm engaging position.

Figure 1 shows a portion of a gate with the invention mounted thereon and the resilient arm held in engagement with the latch by the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the invention.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a gate post and mounted thereon is a conventional latch 2 having a central recess 3 formed in its outer face to receive a portion of a resilient arm 4 which, at its lower extremity, is secured to one side of the frame 5 of a gate, and extends upwardly and outwardly from its point of attachment. Projecting from opposite sides of the arm 4 toward its upper extremity are ears 6 which extendon opposite sides of the gate frame 5 to guide the arm during its movement.

Small child quickly learns to push the arm 4 and As even a disengage it from the latch 2 it is an aim of this invention to provide a locking means to render the release of the arm from the latch more difficult.

In gates of the type above referred to the frame 5 is usually of circular section as shown in the drawing. Mounted for sliding movement on the frame is a somewhat resilient clip 8 which is securely held to a body 9 by spot welding or other suitable means. The body 9 is of channel section and the upper extremities of the sides of the body are outwardly bent to form handles ID to facilitate movement of the device along the gate frame 5. The body 9 when in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 is between the arm 4 and the adjacent side of the gate frame 5, and the arm is also in engagement with the recess 3 in the latch 2. The outer faces of the channel sides of the body then lie substantially contiguous to the arm 4 and prevent sufficient movement of the latter for the arm to become released from the latch.

It will be noted that the arm 4 may extend vertically downward for a short distance from its uppfir extremity and then be inclined toward the gate from beneath its vertical portion. Consequently the lower forward extremities of the body 9 may come to rest upon and be supported by the inclined intermediate portion of the arm, or the handles l0 may rest upon the upper faces of the ears 6 when the body has reached its bottom limit of travel. Formed through opposite sides of the channel body 9 are opposed openings I l which are positioned beneath the ears 6 when the device is in its bottom position. A padlock l2 may be inserted through one or both of the openings I I so that movement of the body in any upward direction to permit inward movement of the arm 4 is impossible. However even without the use of a padlock it is quite difficult for small children to open the gate when the body 9 is in operative position because it involves material upward movement of the clip 8 along the gate frame, and if the clip grips the frame it may be too hard for a child to move it, and if the clip is a loose fit on the frame it will drop back into operative position immediately it is released.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that alterations and modifications may be made thereto provided the said alterations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims,

What I claim is:

l. A locking device including a body adapted to slide between a movable arm and a frame of a. gate to prevent movement of said arm toward the gate frame, a resilient clip secured to the body for sliding movement along the gate frame, and laterally projecting handles extending from the upper extremity of the body to limit downward movement of said body by contact of said handles with ears projecting from opposite sides of said arm past opposites sides of the gate frame.

2. The combination in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the body is apertured, said apertured portion is adapted to extend beneath said body adapted to contact ears projecting from the sides of the arm to limit downward movement of said body, the lower portion of the latter being apertured and adapted to extend beneath the ears, and removable means adapted to project laterally through the aperture to prevent upward movement of the body by engagement with the undersides of the ears.

JOHN JACKLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 727,494 Thompson May 5, 1903 761,983 Murray June 7, 1904 961,627 Mallory June 14, 1910 

